This appendix provides information on the department’s performance
in implementing the Commonwealth Disability Strategy. The department
does not have a core business role of purchaser or provider, but
reports on its performance against the other roles described in
the strategy: employer, regulator and policy adviser. The level
of performance for 2002-03 is recorded against the performance
indicators and measures identified in the Department of Family
and Community Services’ implementation guide. A description
of the department’s work towards achieving equitable access
for people with disabilities is in the Management and Accountability
chapter.
Table 16 Performance under the Commonwealth Disability
Strategy as an employer
| Performance
indicator |
Performance
measure |
Performance 2002-03
|
| 1. Employment policies, procedures and practices
comply with the requirements of the Disability Discrimination
Act 1992. |
Number of employment policies, procedures and
practices that meet the requirements of the Disability Discrimination
Act 1992. |
Relevant policies and procedures were:
- Non-Senior Executive Service (SES) Staff Selection
Guide
- Disability Action Plan
- Workplace Diversity Programme
- Workplace Harassment Guide
- Working with the Code of Conduct
- Protection for Whistleblowers
- Certified Agreement 2002 - 2004
- information packages for new staff
- induction courses.
The department continued to maintain a suite of employment
related operational guides on the intranet. A number of the
documents could also be accessed by the wider Australian
community through the internet - including the department’s
third certified agreement (which was negotiated during the
year) and the department’s revised Workplace Diversity
Programme.
The requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 continued
to be observed in developing and reviewing our guideline material.
On commencement, all new staff members were provided with an information
package including information on the Australian Public Service (APS) Code
of Conduct, workplace diversity and discrimination. Regular information
sessions for new staff were also conducted during the year. |
| 2. Recruitment information for potential job
applicants is available in accessible formats on request. |
Percentage of recruitment information requested
and provided in accessible electronic formats and accessible
formats other than electronic.
Average time taken to provide accessible information in electronic formats
and formats other than electronic. |
All recruitment information is available in electronic
formats and accessible formats other than electronic. All members
of the Australian community were able to access information
on employment opportunities in the department via our internet
site, press advertisements or targeted recruitment campaigns.
The department’s intranet site provided an additional
electronic format to assist staff to access relevant information.
A TTY (telephone typewriter) facility was also available for hearing or
speech impaired applicants.
Access to information and selection documentation was available on demand
through the department’s website. Selection documentation was loaded
on the website and intranet prior to vacancies being advertised in the
Commonwealth Gazette or the press.
Average time taken to process information requests was two days. |
| 3. Agency recruiters and managers apply the principle
of ‘reasonable adjustment’. |
Percentage of recruiters and managers provided
with information on ‘reasonable adjustment’. |
The department’s Non-SES Staff Selection
Guide provided information for all staff on the principle of ‘reasonable
adjustment’. |
| 4. Training and development programmes consider
the needs of staff with disabilities. |
Percentage of training and development programmes
that consider the needs of staff with disabilities. |
The Performance Appraisal and Development Scheme
was the main vehicle used by employees and their managers to
identify training and development needs. The department maintained
a database of relevant training and development programmes
and regularly promoted available courses on the intranet.
The department’s Disability Action Plan encouraged people with disabilities
and staff working with people with disabilities to voice specific needs
and to nominate for special needs training programmes.
Corporate programmes take account of the needs of staff who identify themselves
as having a disability. There were no concerns raised by staff attending
internal or external training and development programmes during the year
regarding disability issues. |
| 5. Training and development programmes include
information on disability issues as they relate to the content
of the programme. |
Percentage of training and development programmes
that include information on disability issues as they relate
to the programme. |
All staff entering the department were invited
to attend an induction programme which included information
on the APS Code of Conduct, workplace diversity and disability
issues and on the availability of supporting information in
corporate publications. |
| 6. Complaints/grievance mechanisms, including
access to external mechanisms, are in place to address issues
and concerns by staff. |
Established complaints/grievance mechanisms,
including access to external mechanisms, in operation. |
All staff in the department had access to appropriate
complaint handling procedures including procedures for settling
disputes under the certified agreement, guidelines on managing
breaches of the code of conduct and access to external review
processes.
There were no complaints or grievances involving disability issues during
the year. |
Table 18 Performance under the Commonwealth Disability Strategy
as a policy adviser
|
Performance indicator |
Performance measure |
Performance 2002-03 |
| 1. New or revised policy/programme proposals
assess impact on the lives of people with disabilities prior
to decision. |
Percentage of new or revised policy/programme
proposals that document that the impact of the proposal was
considered prior to the decision making stage. |
In its capacity as a central coordinating agency,
the department, through its Social Policy Division, provided
advice on all proposals that were deemed to have an impact
on people with disabilities. |
| 2. People with disabilities are included in consultation
about new or revised policy/programme proposals. |
Percentage of consultations about new or revised
policy/programme proposals that are developed in consultation
with people with disabilities. |
The needs of people with disabilities were considered
through several forums, including the Welfare Reform Forum,
for which the department provides secretariat support. |
| 3. Public announcements of new, revised or proposed
policy/programme initiatives are made available in accessible
formats for people with disabilities, in a timely manner. |
Percentage of new, revised or proposed policy/programme
announcements available in a range of accessible formats.
Time taken in providing announcements in accessible formats. |
Announcements of new policy and programme initiatives
are the responsibility of the government agencies that implement
them. In its role as regulator, the Government Communications
Unit continued to assist those agencies to deliver messages
in ways that met the needs of people with disabilities. |
